It is wrong for a man to say that he is certain of the objective truth of any proposition unless he can produce evidence which logically justifies that certainty.
Thomas HuxleyRead
The great tragedy of science - the slaying of a beautiful hypothesis by an ugly fact.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Scientific progress often involves challenging and disproving appealing theories in light of new evidence.
This quote by Thomas Huxley highlights the inherent conflict in the pursuit of scientific knowledge, where alluring ideas must sometimes be abandoned when confronted with empirical data. It underscores the rigorous nature of science, which requires a willingness to let go of beloved hypotheses when they are proven wrong, emphasizing the importance of facts over the charm of theoretical notions.
Themes
ScienceHypothesisFactKnowledgeTruth
In practice
Example use cases
In a science class discussing the nature of scientific inquiry.
More from Thomas Huxley
All quotes βThe child who has been taught to make an accurate elevation, plan, and section of a pint pot has had an admirable training in accuracy of eye and hand.
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Let us have "sweet girl graduates" by all means. They will be none the less sweet for a little wisdom; and the "golden hair" will not curl less gracefully outside the head by reason of there being brains within.
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The secret of genius is to carry the spirit of childhood into maturity.
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It is the first duty of a hypothesis to be intelligible.
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Of the few innocent pleasures left to men past middle life, the jamming of common sense down the throats of fools is perhaps the keenest.
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